Asthma is a major cause of illness and disability worldwide. During the past 2-3 decades, the prevalence of asthma and morbidity due to asthma have increased substantially. However, these trends remain unexplained by current models of asthma pathogenesis. The goal of this conference is to bring together established and junior investigators, postdoctoral fellows and students from basic science, industrial and clinical backgrounds, representing a wide range of scientific disciplines, to actively discuss progress in the field and to reexamine the pathogenesis of asthma from the perspective of new insights into human immune system development and biology and an expanding awareness of the role of environmental factors. Examples include advances in gene discovery and receptor-mediated signaling, an appreciation of the importance of early life events in molding the allergic diathesis, and an understanding of the role of the innate immune system in the establishment and maintenance of airway inflammation and hyperreactivity. This conference will highlight current research and future directions in areas that hold promise for the development of new therapeutic agents and preventive approaches.